Fireman&#39;s apparatus for saving life.



No. 636,984. Patented Nov. I4, |899. W. lE. HARRIS.

FIREMANS APPARATUS FUR SAVING LIFE.

(Application led June 1, 1899.] (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l,

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W. E. HARRIS.

FIREMANS APPARATUS FOR SAVING L|FE (Application led .Tune 1., 1899.),(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shoot 2.

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W. E. HARRIS.

FIREMANS APPARATUS FDR SAVING LIFE.

(Application led June 1, 1899.)

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FIREMAN'S APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE.

(Application filed. June 1, 1899.)

ATTDRNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

f WILLIAM E. HARRIS, 0E NEw YORK, N. Y.

FIREMANS APPARATUS-FOR SAVING LIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 636,984, dated November14, 1899. Application liled J'une l, 1899. Serial No. 718,954. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFiremens Apparatus for Saving Life, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lifesavingapparatus, and is designed to be used chieiiy by firemen for the purposeof rescuing people from burning buildings or other lofty and dangerousplaces, Ithe object being to provide means whereby persons may beremoved from the buildings and safely and rapidly lowered to the ground,the device being especially applicable in the cases of very highbuildings or other places where it would be difficult or impossible touse the means now existing for that purpose.

To this end my invention consists of the application to the aforesaidpurpose of the principles, combination, and construction of parts whichare hereinafter described and set forth.

Referring to the several figures, which form a part of thisspecification, Figure lis a plan View of a truck or vehicle uponwhich myinvention is mounted. Fig. 2 is a side elevation 0f same. Fig. 3 isafront view of Fig. 1, showing some of the parts broken away andfragments in section. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 shows, on alarger scale, a cage which is one of the features of the invention. Fig.6 is a front elevation of the cage. Fig. 7 is a perspective View andshows theapparatus in the position which it will occupy at a fire. Fig.8 shows more clearly the telescoping or extensible frames or arms andthe preferred means for extending them. Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. S.Fig. 10 is a detail. Fig. 1l is a positional view of parts shown in Fig.8. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of Fig. 11.

In the following specification like reference characters are used todesignate similar parts.

Referring to the several figures, l is the body cfa truck or vehicle andis shown mounted on the wheels 2 2 2 2. The front wheels 2' 2 are on thecentrally-pivoted steering-axle, to which are secured theA poles 3,3inthe usual manner.

axle, but may also be on a pivoted axle and The rear wheels 2 2 are on afixed' arranged to assist in steering the truck. Sup ported on thetruck-body are the U-shaped members or supports 4 4, upon the top of theupright arms of which is fastened a circular track or ring 5. (Shown inFigs. l, 2, 3, and 7.). The turn-table 6, same figures, rests on thering 5 and is provided with an annular iiange projecting downwardly andtting against the outer periphery of the ring. Fastened to the undersurface of the turn-table is the U-shaped member 7. (Shown in Figs. 2,3, and 7.) The bevel-gear 8 is bolted to the member 7 and rest-s and iscentrally pivoted on a turret or raised portion 9 on the iioor of thetruck-body. In mesh or engagement with the gear 8 and supported fast ona shaft 10,- journaled in a bearing and supported on the truck body, isthe bevel pinion-gear 11. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 3.) Fastened on theshaft l0 is a crank l2.

The turn-table 6 is provided with an elon gated aperture 13, Figs. l and7, and supported on the table on each side of the aperture andprojecting upwardly are the Walls or members 1414. The frame I5 in Figs.l and 2 is supported near its front end by the shaft 16, secured theretoby the brackets 17 17, and upon the shaft, outside of and fastened tothe frame 15 by the screws I8 18, are the gear-wheels 19 I9. The shaft16 is journaled in the upright walls 14 14 of the turntable. The frame15 is supported while out of use on the bridge l' on the rear end of thetruck-body. Shafts 2O 20 in Figs. I, 2, and 3 are journaled in andpassthrough the said .walls 14 14, and fastened on the inner ends ofeach are pinion-gears 2l 21, in engagement with the frame-gears 19 19,and outside the walls the ratchetwheels 22 22 are fast on the shaft, asare also the cranks 23 23. Rawls 24 24 are pivoted to the upright walls14 14 and are pressed against the ratchets by springs 25 25. At the rearof the turn-table, Figs. l, 2, and 7, fastened and supported on a shaft26', journaled in the rearwardly-extending arms 6 6' of the turn-table,is the flanged sheave or drum 26, the said shaft at one end, outsideVthe supporting-arm, bearing a crank 27, and upon the opposite end ofthe shaft a fast pulley 28, adapted to be rotated by a belt. The framel5 consists of two long side'bars or members 15' 15', arranged paralleland IOO grooved on their inner sides and rigidly connected at the frontends, Figs. 1 and 2, by the cross-bar 15" and near the other end by thecross-bar 15". Supported between and journaled on brackets 30 30 on theframe 15, near the gears 19, is a flanged sheave or drum 3l. The shaft3l thereof (shown clearly in Figs. 7, 8, 11, and 12) is secured rigidlyto the drum and has an end projecting through the bracket and a portionthereof squared or made noncircnlar and adapted to enter a correspondingly-shaped aperture in the detachable crank 32. The frame cross-bar 15"is mortised out, and a grooved pulley-wheel 33 is pivoted in the saidmortise, and a rope or other iiexible device 34 is fastened at one endto the sheave 3l, and the said rope then passes backwardly and throughthe mortiscd frame bar and around the wheel 33, then forwardly, and issecured to the cross-bar 35" of the inner frame 35. This inner frame 35is longitudinallyadjustable on the outer frame l5, and has the .sidebars 35 35', arranged parallel, which are provided on their outer edgeswith tongues or ribs adapted to tit into the grooves in the outer-frameside bars, and the inner sides or edges of said inner-frame side barsare grooved out.

The cross-bar 35" is securely fastened to the rear ends of theinner-frame sides and is mortised out to receive the pulley-wheel 36 andthe rope 37. At the front end the inner frame is connected by thecross-bar 35. The inner arm 38 is mounted and is longitudinallyadjustable in the inner frame 35 and is furnished with tongues or ribson opposite sides or edges which arev adapted to enter the grooves inthe inner frame, and the rear end is formed with an enlargedsemicircular part that is bored through and formed to constitute thefemale part of a hinge. The arm 38 is grooved out to receive a part ofthe jointed brace 39, one end of the said brace being pivoted in thegroove, and that part of the brace between the said end and its centraljoint or hinge rests partly in the groove while the brace is folded, asshown in Fig. 2. A rope 37, Figs. 8 and 11, or its equivalent isfastened at one end near the front end of the said inner arm 38, and therope is passed forwardly and through the mortise in the cross-bar 35" onthe inner frame 35 Vand around the pulleywheel 36 and then rearwardly,and the other end is made fast to the outer-frame crossbar 15.

The upper overhanging arm 40 is hinged near the rear end, Figs. 1 and 2,to the inner arm 38 and on the rear end carries the grooved Wheel 41,and on its lower edge is grooved out to admit the upper member of thebrace 39. The end of the brace is pivoted in said groove, and the braceis hinged about midway of its length. The hinged ends are formed withstops or shoulders 39 39' on each member, adapted to engage with eachother and to prevent the brace from closing or the arms thereof swingingtogether in the opposite direction or position to that shown in Fig. 2further than is necessary to prevent the brace from being closed orfolded by the longitudinal pressure or thrust caused by the weight onthe overhanging arm 40 when the said overhanging arm and brace areopened to the position shown in Fig. 7. About midway on the arm 40 andsupported in an aperture therethrough is a grooved wheel 42, Figs. l, 2,and 7, and at a suitable distance away from the said wheel a rope orother flexible device 43 is fastened to the arm and passed downwardlyand around grooved rollers 44 44 on the cage 45, then upwardly throughthe aperture in the arm and over the wheel 42, and then passesbackwardly and downwardly over the rear roller 41 and is then extendedto and is fastened on the sheave or drum 26. This rope 43 is used forraising and lowering the cage 45. The said cage 45 carries the rollers44 44 on its upper end, and at one side and hinged to the lower end orfloor is the door 46, to which are secured the segmental arms 47, Figs.5, 6, and 7, and a cross bar or rib 46', arranged laterally near theswinging end. This cross-bar 46 is intended to engage with the wall ofthe building and assist insteadying the cage while in position forreceiving passengers, asillustrated in Fig. 7. The arms 47 pass throughslots in the back walls of the cage and are joined together by across-strip 47', and a rope 48 is fastened to the said crossstrip andanother rope 49 is fastened to the cage-door. Both of the said ropes areof sufcient length to be reached by men on the ground when the cage iselevated, and they may be used to assist in locating and controlling thecage and to open orclose the door.

While out of use, the apparatus may be folded and adjusted to thecompact position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The parts may be adjusted toworking position by first raising the overhanging arm 40 until thehinged brace 39 is opened to an approximately-straight position, andthen by turning the cranks 23 23 and the pinions 22 22, connectedthereto and engaging with the fixed gears 19 19 on the frame 15, thesaid frame may be caused to swingupwardly at its rear end to any desiredangle and carry with it the inner frame 35 and the arms 38 and 40. Thenby placing a crank 32 on the drum-shaft 3l and by rotating the drum orsheave 31 the rope 34is taken up on the sheave and, as may readily beseen, causes the inner frame 35 to slide upwardly in the outer frame 15.The upward movement of the pulley-wheel 36 on the inner frame acts onthe rope 37, one end of said rope being fast to the inner-,arm 38 andthe other end fastened to the outer frame 15, and causes the inner arm38 to slide upwardly simultaneously and at a proportionally-equal speedand distance relative to the inner frame 35 as the inner frame slidesupon and moves relative to the outer frame 15. As may be seen,thes`ethree members-the frames 15 and 35 and the inner arm 38-constitute anexten- IIO sible or telescoping arm and may be adj usted or extended tonearly three times the length of either member. When the saidtelescoping arm is adjusted to the desired height, the truck may bemoved or the arm further tilted or inclined, and the end of theoverhanging arm 40 may be brought int-o contact with the building, asshown in Fig. 7 ,for the purpose of steadying the apparatus. The cage 45may be raised by the rope 43, and when in place the door may be openedand held convenient for the passengers by means of the rope 49. The saiddoor forms a bridge by means of which the passengers may easily reachthe cage. When the persons are in the cage, the door may be closed bymeans of the rope 47, and the cage may then be lowered to the ground.The pulley-wheels 44 44 are placed a suitable distance apart on thecage, and the rope 43 is secured to the overhanging arm at a pointsufciently remote from the wheel 42 to prevent the cage from revolvingwhile it is suspended on the rope and is being raised or lowered. Thesheave 26 may be operated either by the hand-crank 27, or other powermay be applied, such as an electric motor, which may be connected to thepulley 2S. By turning the crank 12 the pinion IO, acting on the gear 8,will cause the turn-table to revolve, and the members supported on theturn-table may be brought to any desired adjust-ment.

Having thus illustrated and described my invention, what I claim is 1.In a iremans apparatus of the class described the combination ofaportable support, an upright arm mounted thereon, an overhanging armhinged on the upright arm, a brace hinged at one end on the upright armand the other on the overhanging arm and provided with a jointintermediate of the two ends, a cage suspended from the overhanging armand means for elevating and lowering the cage, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a remans apparatus of the class described the combination of aportable base member, an extensible arm pivoted near one end thereon andadapted to be swung to an upright position and an overhangin g armhinged on the upper end of the extensible arm; a brace consisting of twoparts hinged together, one of which is hinged to the overhanging arm andthe other to the extensible arm, a cage suspended from the overhangingarm, means for extending and adjusting the extensible arm and means forelevating and lowering the cage, substantially as described.

3. Inatiremans apparatus the combination with avehicle, and a turn-tablethereon, of a telescopic extensible arm hinged on the turntable andarranged to be adjusted to an upright position,and an overhangin g armhinged and adapted to be folded on the extensible arm; a brace securedat one end to the extensible arm and at the other end to the overhanging arm and adapted to support the overhanging arm in a lateral positionrelatively to the extensible arm and means for folding the brace toallow the overhanging arm to fold upon the extensible arm, substantiallyas described.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a basemember, of an upright arm supported thereon an overhanging arm carriedfrom the upper portion of the upright arm, and a cage suspended on theoverhanging arm and adapted to be elevated and lowered; a door hinged atits lower edge to the front of the cage; a frame consisting of twosegmental side bars and connecting end bars, secured at one end to thedoor and extending rearwardly and through apertures in the rear wall ofthe cage; and ropes or such connected with the segmental frame andthedoor and adapted for opening or closing the door, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a life-saving apparatus substantially as described the combinationwith a vehicle, having a sheave thereon, of an upright arm supported onthe vehicle, an elevated overa hanging arm carried thereby, a cagesuspended on the overhanging arm; a pair of pulleywheels on the top ofthe cage; a pulley-wheel midway on the overhanging arm; a rope or suchsecured near the end of the overhanging arm and extending downwardly andaround the pulleys on the cage and then upwardly and over the pulley onthe overhanging arm and then rearwardly and downwardly and connected toa sheave on the vehicle, the distance between the pulleys on the cageand the distance between the pulley on the arm and the point on the armat which the rope is attached being far enough to allow the weight ofthe cage on the rope to assist in preventing the cage from revolvingwhile suspended, substantially as specied.

6. In a remans apparatus the combination with a portable member, of anupright arm supported thereon,an overhanging arm on the upper portion ofthe upright arm and a cage suspended from the overhanging arm; a doorhinged at its lower edge to the cage; a crossbar secured near the upperend of the door and adapted for engagement with buildings and forsteadying the cage; means for opening and closing the door and means forelevating and lowering the cage, substantially as described.

Signed by me at New York, N. Y., this 31st day of May, 1899.

l/VILLIAM E. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

HENRY STANDEN, JOSEPH L. A. MQMENAMIN.

IOO

